The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-12-28

nave formed part OF the big Nova SCOJlan
raft far out at sea.
AN awful explosion and fire, caused by
naphtha, occurred in Rochester, N. Y. last
week, with the loss of four lives and great
destruction of property. At least twenty
persons were injured
THE acknowledgement has at last found
a law which he thinks authorizes him to allow
senders of merchandise packages to mark
the word " merchandise " upon them, as
they have always done.
A PAssENGER-TRAIN on the Wisconsin Cen
trail railway was thrown from the track by
a broken rail near Fifed last week. Three
cars went down a tifteen-foot embankment
One person was killed and fourteen were
wounded.
A VOTE for United States senator to sue.
coed Mr.. Riddleberger was taken in the
Virginia general assembly, with the follow.
ing result; Senate, Hon. John S. Barbour
tweuty-six; General William Malone, thir.
teen. House, Barbour, sixty-one; Malone
thirty-hve.
THE condition of the people in western
and southwestern Kansas is very bad.
Nearly all the people were settled on govern
ment claims and were without money, de-
pending entirely on the crop to be raised last
fall. The crop, however, was total failure
because of drouth leaving the people desti-
tute.
THERE is terrible suffering in the western
part of Kansas. -Four people are reported
dead in Clark county from cold, while near
Dighton woman and hertwo children are
known to have persisted. There is great
suffering in that part of the state, owing tC
scarcity of coal, and the situation is de-
plorable.
Hon. SETH G. MoFFATT, representative in
congress from Michigan, died in Washing.
ton last Friday from od-poisoning re-
suting from a carbuncle on the face. He
was born at Battle Creek, Mich, in 1871 and
was graduated from the Law School of the
University of Michigan in 1868. Mr.. Moifatl
practiced his profession in various cities
and held many political offices.
MCNEALLY, the Saco (Maine) bank clerk
who robbed the bank of So, 700 in cash and
SlSj,OO0 in bonds, after wandering over
Europe returned to Halifax, n. S., some
days ago, with but 500 of the cash left. The
bank recovered the securities through the
influence of McNeally's brother. McNeally
was arrested, but has been released, because
it was held that his crime was not an ex.
traditable one.
ONE THOUSAND bills and more have al.
ready been introduced in the senate. 1t is
not extravagant to estimate that the number
OF bills likely to be introduced in the house
at the first time set apart for the reception
of bills will be 5000. There were not less
than 1900 bills introduced in the last con
gress, of which more than 1000 failed. A
very large proportion OF these - 900 bills are
to be reintroduced in the tiftieth congress.
The steamer Miranda" started from
Nova Scotia with raft of 27,00O logs tied
up by iron chains into a great bundle, 5SC
feet in length During storm on Nan.
tucket Shoals the raft broke loose and is al
present drifting on the ocean. Should il
break up steamers will be put in great perl
from collision at night with the almost in.
visible drifting timber A couple of fast
and powerful steamers have been sent out
after it, hoping to secure it before the gales
break it up.
THE Rio Grande road reports some of the
most bitter weather last week ever re-
corded. At Cumberson, Col, the southern
line of the state, at an altitude of $3.50 feet
there are three feet of snow and the mercury
was 30 below zero. Silverton records 20
below, Leadvlle 202 below, Glenwood
Springs 49, Jerome Park "a while at Rob
inson, at an altitude of about II 900 feet, the
mercury froze and spirit thermometers re
corded 81 below zero. The cold was so in
! tense at the latter point that the people
| feared to venture away from their houses.
| AN exhibition was given in New York
| last week, in the presence of number OF
! prominent men, of a system for producing
cold by the evaporation of anhydrous am
monia gas. One hundred pounds of am
monia, costing 81, was made to do the work
| of 5000 pounds of ice, costing SIG. 1t is
claimed the saving of space and expense
will revolutonize the system of refrigeratine
railway cars. 1t will change the tempera.
! ture from 30 above to CO. below zero
accomplishing it in ninety seconds. 1t is
proposed to supply cold weather in fountains
for domestic use.